Bed-table.



F. P. LYMAN.

BEDJABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25; 1914.

1,179,536. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

WITNESSES: IN VE IV TOR s'ra rns Para mnnnrc P. tYMAN, or muses cIrY, rssonnr.

BED-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. as, rare.

Application filed June 25, 1914. Serial No. 848,309.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIC P. LYMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at 4 stantia'lly level the table regardless of the level of the support for the table legs. A further object is to produce a bed table of simple, strong, durable, inexpensive an attractive appearance.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is an end view, partly in section, of a table embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a side view of the table, the dotted lines indicating how the legs are folded to inoperative position. Fig. 3, is an. inverted plan view of the table.

In the said drawing, 1 is the table topof oblong rectangular form and 2 are parallel cross bracing strips, secured to the table top near each end thereof.

3 are cross pieces upon which the table top is adapted to rest in use, and said cross pieces are-hinged at 4 to the table top and are adapted when upright to bear against the bracing strips 2. The cross piecesare preferably rounded at their lower edges and formed in such edges at opposite sides of the central longitudinal plane ofthe table are downwardly diverging sockets 5, and outward of said sockets are similar but mor widely'diverging sockets 6.

7 are supporting legs, provided with reduced portions or tenons 8 at their upperends, adapted to engage the sockets 5 or 6, accordingly, as it is desired to increase or diminish the height of the table, and when it is desired to dispose the table top' at an incline with respect to the plane of the lower ends of the legs, the legs at one side of the longitudinal .center of the table may be shifted or adjusted for engagement with a different set of the sockets, that is to say, if

the tenons of all of the legs are engaging sockets 5, two of the legs will be adjusted to dispose the tenons thereof in the adjacent sockets 6.

In Fig. 1, dotted lines indicate the adjustment referred to, it being understood that the right hand legs 7 rest upon the most depressed portion of a bed, for instance, that portion which is most depressed because it sustains the greater part of the weight of the body when one is sitting up in bed, the dotted line indicating that portion of the bed adjacent the knees, and which, under ordinary conditions, will not be depressed to the same extent as the other portion referred to, because less weight is imposed upon it.

9 is a block secured to the underside of the table topat the center thereof and fastened to said block is a resilient locking strip 10, the same engaging recesses ll'in the cross pieces 3 when the latter are vertical or unfolded, to hold them in such position, and when the legsare folded to inoperative position, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, the strip 10 will fit against the outer faces of cross pieces 3 and therefore hold the legs in folded position for convenience in storing the table or in carrying it from one place to another.

12 is a perforated plate to form an ink 1 well holder, and said plate is pivoted at 13 so that it may be turned at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 3 and therefore project outward beyond the adjacent edge of'the table top so that an ink well may be supported in the perforation without danger of being turned over accidentally.

. 14'is a plate secured to the underside of the table at one end and hinged thereto is a hasp 15 adapted when not in use to fit 1 over a screw eye 16 secured in the underside of the table top. When the screw eye is turned at right angles to the position shown,

the hasp can be swung downward from en'- gagement' with said screw eye and then be utilized for hanging the table upon a wall or other support.

Thistable .is adapted for use only upon a bed or cot, and when in use the table top will be arranged transversely across and just in front of the user, and to level the table as hereinbefore referred to,""the legs thereof nearest the body' of the user will occupy the sockets 5, and the other legs will be caused to engage the sockets 6 at the opposite side of the longitudinal center of the ,the sockets 6 is higher than the support for 1 the other pair of legs, the table top will occupy a substantially horizontal position v and hence may'be used by the occupant of the bed with the greatest ease and convenience. v

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a table for use upon a bed or cot which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable and Which may be modified in minor particulars without departing from the principle ofgonstnuction involved or sacrificin any of the advantages of the appen ed claims and in thisco-nnection I desire to state that when the table is used as a writingt'able it is desirable to incline it toward the user by setting the table legs nearest the body of the user in sockets 6 so as to effect a decided lowering of the edge. of the table nearest to theuser as by this inclining the table a letter or other matter may be written with greater convenience than if the table is substantially level, as will be readily understood.

I claim 2-" 'A table comprising a top, cross pieces secured'to thetop at the underside of the same and each provided with a pair of upwardly converging. sockets at each corner of the table, the sockets at each corner converging upward with' respect to the other sockets in the same cross piece, and a leg to support each corner of the table, the legs of the same cross pieces engaging either of the sockets at the same corner accordingly as it is desired to dispose them at equal or unequal angles and thereforehold the table top parallel or tilted with respect to the plane of the lower ends of the legs.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature; in the presence of two witnesses.

, FREDERIC P. LYMAN;

Witnesses:

HELEN C. RODGERS, G. Y. THORPE. 

